xSemponium plant named ‘Sienna’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of x  Semponium  plant named ‘Sienna’ that is characterized by its compact, dense growth habit with short stems, its uniformly neat, conical growth habit, its tightly compact rings of adjacent foliage rosettes in tiers from the main stem, its production of multiple offsets; 1 head produces an average of 12 offsets, and its unique foliage coloration: in winter to early spring; green with dark purple-brown margins and light green centers, in mid spring; purple-brown, in late spring to autumn; bright orange with light green centers.

Botanical classification: x Semponium.

Variety denomination: ‘Sienna’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to a European plant breeders' rightsapplication filed on Mar. 11, 2021, application No. 2021/0764. Therehave been no offers for sale anywhere in the world prior to theeffective filing date of this Application and no accessibility to one ofordinary skill in the art could have been derived from the printed plantbreeder's rights documents.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of xSemponium, an interspecific hybrid plant and referred to hereinafter byits cultivar name, ‘Sienna’. The new cultivar of x Semponium is a frosthardy succulent subshrub perennial grown for ornamental foliage use inlandscapes and containers.

The new cultivar arose from an ongoing breeding program by the Inventorin Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom. The goal of the breeding programwas to produce a new cultivar of x Semponium with unique foliagecoloration, a compact growth habit, a dense and neat plant habit withproduction of many side shoots.

The new cultivar arose from a cross made by the Inventor in 2016 betweenAeonium ‘Ice Warrior’ (not patented) as the female parent andSempervivum ciliosum ‘Green Ice’ (not patented) as the male parent. TheInventor selected ‘Sienna’ as a single unique plant amongst theseedlings that resulted from the above cross in 2018.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by theInventor by stem root cuttings in 2018 in Penzance, Cornwall, UnitedKingdom. Asexual propagation by cuttings and offshoots has determinedthe characteristics to be stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes incombination distinguish ‘Sienna’ as a unique cultivar of x Semponium.

-   1. ‘Sienna’ exhibits a compact, dense growth habit with short stems.-   2. ‘Sienna’ exhibits a uniformly neat, conical growth habit.-   3. ‘Sienna’ exhibits tightly compact rings of adjacent foliage    rosettes in tiers from the main stem.-   4. ‘Sienna’ exhibits production of multiple offsets; 1 head produces    an average of 12 offsets.-   5. ‘Sienna’ exhibits unique foliage coloration: in winter to early    spring; green with dark purple-brown margins and light green    centers, in mid spring; purple-brown, in late spring to autumn;    bright orange with light green centers.

The female parent plant differs from ‘Sienna’ in having taller stems,fewer offsets, rosettes that are larger in size, plant habit that isless dense and compact, leaves that are larger in size, and foliage thatis green with purple-red margins from spring to autumn. The male parentplant differs from ‘Sienna’ in having foliage that is green in colorwith hairs on both surfaces, and rosettes and leaves that are smaller insize. ‘Sienna’ can be most closely compared to the x Semponium cultivars‘Destiny’ (not patented) and ‘Diamond’ (not patented). ‘Destiny’ differsfrom ‘Sienna’ in having leaves that are larger in size, spade-shaped,and very dark maroon in color with the lower surface becoming lightgreen towards the base with numerous red spots. ‘Diamond’ differs from‘Sienna’ in having leaves that are larger in size and pale green incolor with a few scattered spots.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating tosales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than oneyear prior to the effective filing date of this application. Anyinformation about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date. Disclosures include but may not be limited towebsite listings by Surreal Succulents, Researchgate, and NationalGardening Association.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance anddistinct characteristics of 3-year-old plants of ‘Sienna’ as grownoutdoors in a 5-liter container in Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of a plant of ‘Sienna’ insummer.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of a rosette of‘Sienna’ in winter to early spring.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new x Semponium.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as observedon 3-year-old plants of ‘Sierra’ as grown outdoors (April to October)and in an unheated polytunnel (November to March) in 5-liter containersin Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom. The phenotype of the new cultivarmay vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and culturalconditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmentalconditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, exceptwhere general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Plant type.—Evergreen succulent perennial.        -   Plant shape.—Conical.        -   Plant habit.—Compact, dense basal rosette with offsets            clustered around main rosette.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches up to 40 cm in height and width.        -   Hardiness.—At least hardy to −5° C., has not been tested in            colder climates.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to            diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.        -   Root development.—Roots initiate in an average of 6 weeks            and fully root as a young plant in a P7 container in about 2            months.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem shape.—Cylindrical.        -   Stem size.—1 to 3 cm in width and up to 32 cm in length.        -   Stem surface.—Smooth with leaf scars at the base.        -   Stem arrangement.—Verticillate, whorled in concentric rings            of lateral branches.        -   Stem aspect.—Horizontal to vertical.        -   Internode length.—Up to 6 cm.        -   Stem color.—198B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Narrowly spathulate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Rosette.        -   Leaf quantity.—Average of 80 to 100 per rosette.        -   Leaf base.—Narrowly cuneate.        -   Leaf apex.—Blunt round, mucronate.        -   Leaf venation.—No veins visible.        -   Leaf margins.—Ciliate.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.        -   Leaf orientation.—Flat to slightly concave.        -   Leaf substance.—Succulent.        -   Leaf thickness.—1.5 to 2 mm.        -   Leaf surface.—Upper and lower surface smooth and waxy with            ciliate margins.        -   Leaf color (upper and lower surface).—In winter to early            spring; 145B to 145C with margins 183B and maturing leaves            suffused with N77A, in mid spring; mature spring and to            early autumn; 183A with centers 137B, in late spring to            autumn; a blend of 170A and 171A with centers 137B.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 7.5 cm in length and 2 cm in width.        -   Rosette size.—Apical; 26 cm in width with 80 to 100 leaves,            lateral; 17 cm in width with 60 to 80 leaves.-   Flower description: No flowers have been observed to date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct variety of x Semponium plant named‘Sienna’ as described and illustrated herein.